A Guide To Lower Manhattan’s 2021 Light Installations

Winter’s darkness is much less acute in Lower Manhattan, where you can bask in a whole bunch of colorful, intricate, eye-popping light installations this season. Here’s where to brighten up your night Downtown.

“C/C” At 85 Broad Street

The first of two Downtown Alliance-sponsored public art projects on loan from Amsterdam’s Light Art Collection is at the public plaza adjacent to 85 Broad. The sculpture “C/C”, designed by Singapore-based artist Angela Chong, doubles as a bench for seating, casting complex shadows by day and transforming into a colorful LED light show at night. On display through March 21.

“Talking Heads” At 85 Broad Street

The second installation, “Talking Heads,” designed by Hungarian artist Viktor Vicsek, is made up of two massive heads dotted with 4,000 LED lights that change to reveal different facial expressions in conversation. On display through March 21.

“Electric Dandelions” At The Seaport

Head to the Seaport for “Electric Dandelions”, created by artist Abram Santa Cruz and LA-based art collective Liquid PXL. In daylight, the ten 28-foot steel-and-acrylic structures look like dandelion flowers; at night, LED lights turn the structures into colorful, pulsing, rhythmic animations. On display through April. 

“Ziggy” At 200 Water Street

At the public plaza at 200 Water Street, you can visit Ziggy, a Downtown Alliance-sponsored installation by design studio Hou de Sousa. Ziggy uses cords tied to a steel structure illuminated by colorful lights to create exciting views of the surrounding landscape. You can enter the installation from all angles, and post up on the several “gateways” that serve as benches. At night, Ziggy’s lights add an inviting extra pop of brightness, plus you never know when you’ll catch an Alliance staffer hanging out inside. On display through March 31.